but then again a friend who has been commuting a similar route to me said he wouldn't be surprised if my commute eventually became 20 minutes zipping over the Brooklyn bridge. i hadn't commuted everyday, previously i had done 2-4 days a week. and my times have generally been 24 (BK bridge route) -29 minutes (Manhattan bridge route). but since March I've been commuting everyday and it's made a difference in my times.
my Brooklyn to Manhattan time (using Brooklyn bridge) has gone from 24 minutes to 20 minutes (4.5 miles) my Manhattan to Brooklyn time (using Manhattan bridge) has gone from 29 minutes to 23 minutes (5.2 miles)
When I started just a few weeks ago, I was taking 30 mins for my 4.5 mile commute. I'm easily doing 20 now (but it's mostly flat---I was just pretty skinny-fat having not gotten much exercise last year with our first kid being born and us being total newbs to parenting).
My speed went up a bit initially, but has plateaued as its not a priority, and I don't consciously try to increase it. I cycle for transportation and recreation, not for sport or training.
I don't think my actual commute has gotten any shorter...I was cycling for awhile before I started commuting, and I don't really push myself while commuting. My morning avg has gotten maybe 1 mph faster over time. What has gotten better are my speeds/efforts when I am riding a group ride, especially climbing. Sure, there are still lots of faster people than me, but I have gotten stronger and riding with no fenders/racks/panniers etc has gotten way easier.
I can keep up with cars on the road now doing 30mph!
I kid, of course. My speed hasn't increased much at all. I was quite fit aerobically to begin with. Most of the gains happened with two months of starting riding as my body got used to the position and time on the saddle. The speed varies with the bike, of course, but I stopped trying to make it a race every time. It gets tiring. I just try to enjoy the ride as much as I can, pushing only about 60-70% effort.
I am astounded by the improvement when I think about it. I started at a typical recreational pace for a non-cyclist and I remember just wishful thinking about higher speeds. Half again faster was what I imagined, feeling the wind, and the sensation of speed, and being able to hold it for miles and miles. And I honestly felt that that target was just a fantasy, out of reach. After about five or six years, that fantasy speed is now a restful pace.
I think that it's worth the effort. It's about more than just going faster. You're stronger, have better endurance, better cardio-vascular conditioning. For the effort, I think you gain a general feeling of greater health and more vitality.
